The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and relevant links.

Trying to discern the extent of a colorful arc overhead as our car rolled south on U.S. 6, we were stunned upon taking in what looked very like an “eye in the sky” so huge that it dwarfed the snow-clad mountains and valley beneath it. To add further contrast, lengthy, jet contrails striped areas of both blue sky and thin cloud – occasionally cutting through the great ring itself, which was a tad darker on the inside. This darkened region appears less bright because sunlight isn't readily scattered here, as is the case with Alexander's dark band -- the band between a primary rainbow and a secondary rainbow. Such halos appear when sunlight passes through ice crystals in cirrus-type clouds like these. The crystals both reflect and refract the solar light passing through them. Absent the Sun, the full Moon is bright enough to create such rings at night. Make sure to protect your eyes when looking in the direction of the Sun. Photo taken on February 18, 2013.